EAST HILLS CONNECTION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Think About It... From Pastor Mark
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Steve Morris was like most nine-year-olds. But there were a few exceptions. He was black. He lived in a Detroit slum. He was blind.
Each time the kids went out to play, Steve was frustrated because he could not play with them. While the others learned arithmetic, history and spelling, Steve Morris was unable to assimilate most of the information. He became more and more discouraged because his blindness was keeping him back.
One day at school there was a scratching noise in the classroom.
“It’s a mouse,” someone screamed as the girls climbed on their chairs.
“Relax, everybody,” the teacher told the class. Then she asked Steve to tell them where the mouse was.
Now the center of attention, Steve Morris smiled broadly.
“Quiet, everybody,” he said confidently. From the silence, Steve proudly announced:
“He’s over there!” And sure enough, he was. Then as the custodian dealt with the mouse and the class went back to their studies, Steve became aware of something remarkable. Steve Morris learned that God had given him a keen sense of hearing to compensate for the sight he never had.
Years went by and Steve Morris used those marvelous ears to sharpen his musical talents. He went on to earn nine U.S. number-one hits and 150 million albums sold world-wide. He has over thirty top ten hits, twenty-six Grammy Awards, an Academy Award for Best Song and was inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Who is this blind kid that had everything stacked against him and rose above it all? You know him as “Stevie Wonder.”
Stevie Wonder is a living illustration of the wonders God can do withweaknesses. God can take broken things and make beauty. God can take problems and turn them into opportunities. God can take defeats and turn them into victories. That’s just the way our wonderful God works. He chooses the
“weak things of the world” (1 Corinthians1:27) and use them for His grand purposes.
For some inexplicable reasons, God is able to speak to you and to me the best when we are in the tough times and the tough places. God told the Apostle Paul so long ago:
“My grace is sufficient for you for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). This means that God shows His abundant grace hardship and difficulties. When we are puny, weak, and feeble is when God is most likely to show up in power and strength.
Our weaknesses are God-given in order to exhibit His power. When you are able to rise above your handicaps and heartaches, God can demonstrate to the world His great power in your circumstances. When you are able to trust God for your limitations and liabilities, you will see the magnificent height of God’s great plan for your life. When you come to the end of your resources, you are forced to look up in humble dependence upon God.
Dear friend, God uses your weaknesses for a good end. It is in the job losses, financial set-backs, illnesses, problems, disappointments, struggles, or whatever you are up against, that God shows us His great power. God does not always reveal His purposes in order that you may rest on His promises. The hard things are the “mice” in your life that God will use to make you a wonder of His grace.
That is why the Apostle Paul said
“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). We should not grumble about trials but embrace them.
So, this week, trust the sovereignty of God. When you rest in the sovereignty of God, you see everything, whether good or bad, as from the hand of God. Then, everything becomes a blessing when we choose to see it that way.
Folks, this is the way to handle these events that are swirling around us these days: Stand on His promises and in the strength of His might. Know His great power for your life. Rely upon His strength and not your own. Put your life in His most capable hands. Yield to God and let Him run your life for your good and His glory. Rest assured in the confidence that He does all things well. And then, rejoice in whatever He sends whether hard or easy. And God will use your hard times and your worries for His glory and your blessing.
Oh, and be sure to pray for our nation, our state, our city, and our church. Don’t let the events around us keep you from seeing God’s sovereignty in them too. God is working for our good and His glory!
I love being your pastor!
Pastor Mark Platt
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Subscribe to our Facebook Instagram and YouTube channels to get more encouraging music, content and updates! Stay connected! Please help us spread the Word, foward this email to someone today!
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Pastor Mark’s current series
“Your Best Life” is based on John 15. This Sunday, we will look at the next step in your walk with God. It is
“OBEDIENT LIVING.” A.W. Tozer wrote: “If you have believed but not obeyed, you have postponed your Christian life." In this beloved passage on the vine and the branches, Jesus will show us how obedience to His Word will produce His joy and blessing!
Go to our live stream on Facebook on Sundays at 9AM or go to our website,
www.easthillscc.org for links to YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and our own Truthcasting. If you go to the EHCC web page under the "Messages" tab, you can download a printed copy of sermon outline as well as hear messages from the past. If you want to enjoy
"Your Best Life," join us online!
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The Elders of East Hills Community Church are prayerfully and carefully considering how and when to re-open our public ministry. Although some businesses and churches have re-opened, we do not have a clear leading from the Lord yet. Since we serve many people who are among the most vulnerable to the coronavirus, we want to be very cautious, We want to balance Romans 13:1 which says
"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities" while following the words of Act 5:29,
"We ought to obey God rather than men." Please pray for your elders as they seek to honor the Lord in this.
We look forward to the day when we can all gather together again. But we have not set a date for public services yet. For the next few weeks, we will strive to honor God with online worship and sermons, encouraging prayer, and mid-week newsletter. By being cautious in re-opening, we are telling you and our community of our love and commitment to serve.
Nevertheless, God is using our church. In this time when people are fearful and anxious, we have people from many parts of the nation who finding encouragement and hope from our online ministry. We are hoping to have the people who live in the
East Bay come to our public services when we re-open.
Meanwhile, we are very grateful for your prayers, your financial stewardship, your patience, and your encouragement. We 'll keep you posted as things develop!
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Invite Your Friends and Family To East Hills!
In these crazy times, people are more open to the Good News. Inviting them to listen to our on-line services is a non-threatening way to tell them about new life in Christ. You can forward an invitation from your Facebook or Instagram pages. Also, you can send them an email or text and direct them to
www.easthillscc.org. where you can click on "Watch This Week's Sermon."
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Our New Electical Panel
The panel is being installed, repairs made, and protective bollards are being replaced this week! Your faithfulness made this possible! We are relieved to have this work done to prevent outages, sparks and fires. If you want to help our church with this project, designate your gift for “Electrical Panel.”
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Women's Bible study
Held on Thursday nights with Evie Berg on Zoom. Right now, group is studying the book of 1 Corinthians. Whether you are in Kentucky, Arizona, or right here in the East Bay, you can enjoy studying the Bible with other women. Call June Peterson at (510) 604-4277 for more information. All women are invited to enjoy the fellowship and the fun of Bible study!
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Pray for the EHCC Elders
Pray as they work on a re-opening plan for our church. They are consulting our city and county officials, our NextGen Churches leaders, our church family, and of course, the Lord. They don’t have firm date or a specific plan yet. If you have suggestions or concerns, send an email to
pastor@easthillscc.org
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Support God's Work at EHCC
All bills are paid again this month! Grateful thanks for your stewardship, generosity and faithfulness. We continue to depend on your regular and sacrificial financial support of God's work. We still have staff obligations, utilities and other bills to pay. We have missionary support to send. We want to expand our "online" presence during this time and that requires money. Please intensify your financial support of East Hills during this time.
There are 4 ways to give:
Option 1: Mail checks to East Hills at 12000 Campus Drive, Oakland, CA 94519
Option 2: Text "Give" to 510-800-7175
Option 4: Set up online banking with your bank and list East Hills as a payee
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Get Sunday Sermons in Your Mailbox
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If you are unable to watch our online service, you can receive a transcript of Pastor Mark's message by US Post Office Mail. Email Pastor Jonathan with your name and address and we will send it to you. (You might consider helping EHCC with a gift to cover the postage.) Or, call 510-531-7100 to request a transcript.
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Submit Your Prayer Requests on our Website
"Need Prayer"
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As we weather this storm together, we are trying to keep the lines of communication open, especially for prayer. If you have a prayer need, please click the button and submit your prayer. We have a dedicated team who will pray for your request. Prayers can be marked "confidential" for Pastor Mark. If not marked, the information will go to the prayer team.
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Join with other East Hills people for prayer each night at 7 PM. This is not online or formal. Just find a quiet place in your home to pray. You can ask your spouse and/or your family members to join you in prayer too.
Please pray for seven specific things:
1. Pray for protection and for containment of the Coronavirus.
2. Pray for wisdom for our leaders as they deal with the virus.
3. Pray for God's protection and guidance for our medical professionals as they treat those affected.
4. Pray for those whose businesses, jobs, and incomes are affected.
5. Pray for those who are the most vulnerable to the attack of this virus.
6. Pray that God will use this time to bring our nation to repent, trust Christ, and bring spiritual change to our prodigal nation.
7. Pray for the ministry of East Hills with our online Sunday service, our devotionals on Facebook, our phone conversations, our witness in our neighborhoods, and with each other.
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Test your Bible IQ with these questions about parenting in the Bible.
1) According to the Bible, having many sons is like having what?
a. a basket full of fruit
b. a quiver full of arrows
c. a stable full of horses
d. a cage full of birds
2) How does Paul instruct children to behave to their parents?
a. respect them
b. humor them
c. follow them
d. obey them
3) According to Hebrews, how does a father treat his true sons?
a. He disciplines them.
b. He takes them fishing.
c. He encourages them.
d. He respects them.
4) What promise comes with the commandment to "Honor your father and your mother"?
a. that it may go well with you
b. that you may live long in the land
c. that you may be delivered from the wrath of God
d. that you may inheit your father's blessing
5) According to the apostle Paul, what must fathers avoid with their children?
a. exasperating them
b. listening to their music
c. hitting them
d. judging them
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John 15 is one of the greatest chapters in the Bible. It was spoken on the night that Jesus was betrayed, perhaps during the Last Supper. Using the metaphor of a grapevine, Jesus explained what it means to be one of His followers.
Now, over 2000 years later, these words of Jesus teach us the secrets of the life that God wants for each person. Join us for the next three Sundays as Jesus tells you the way to "Your Best Life."
1. May 31 - John 15:1-11 -
"Christian Living"
2. June 7 - John 15:1-11 -
"Obedient Living"
3. June 14 - John 15:1-11 -
"Productive Living"
4. June 14 - John 21 -
"Applied Living"
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In The Bible (Reading Plan)
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Weekly Through the Bible Readings
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Join us as we read through the Bible in 2020. Here are the readings for the next few weeks:
May 31-June 6 2 Chronicles 1-18; John 15-18
June 7-13 2 Chronicles 19-36; John 19-21
June 14-20 Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther; Acts 1-7
June 21-27
Job 1-21; Acts 8-13
June 28-July 4 Job 22-42; Acts 14-22
July 5-11 Psalms 1-25; Acts 23-28
July 12-18 Psalms 26-51; Romans 1-3
July 19-25 Psalms 52-75; Romans 4-6
July 26-Aug 1 Psalms 76-91; Romans 7-9
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Answers to "Help I'm A Parent":
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1) b. a quiver full of arrows (Psalm 127:3-5)
2) d. obey them (Ephesians 6:1)
3) a. He disciplines them. (Hebrews 12:7-11)
4) b. that you may live long in the land (Exodus 20:12)
5) a. exasperating them (Ephesians 6:4)
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Text Give to 510-800-7175
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12000 Campus Drive,
Oakland, CA 94619
(510) 531-7100
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